Saturday, 19 June 2010

This is my last stitched flower before I get on an airplane next week!!!!!!! The bills need paying and I have 1,000 things to attend to before leaving for a month! I just bought new undies....you could not have Oolie running around the SouthWest of France in old, grey dishwater colored undies with no "snap" left in them!!!!!!! I need to organize my cosmetics, meds, travel info and put half of the clothes away that I have laid out. What I could really use is a valet traveling with me so I could bring everything and have room to bring treasures home with me.....not happening! Good luck to all.....see you soon......! LOVE- Oolie

Thursday, 17 June 2010

Bought this gorgeous book at the V&A on textile designs that reminded me soo much of Oolie cos these are exactly the kind of fabrics that I hope to spy in her stash of goodies that she will undoubtedly bring with her to Briancon!So looking forward to seeing you all again, and even those not present will be with us in spirit I am sure!Bon Voyage!

Wednesday, 16 June 2010

I think my little garden gnome is going to pull a fast one and escape to join the Skating Monkey and other like minded characters in Vintage Fairy Land while I am away stitching in Briancon!!!!! I will be very upset he he makes off with my prized English cement mushrooms! He'll get searched at Customs in Sweden for trying to bring food products into the country.........HA! I've laid out my clothes for France...now I need to put half of them back in the closet! The weather report looks a bit cooler than last summer's heat wave. I start my travels a week from today.....YIPPEE! Love- Oolie

Friday, 11 June 2010

These are my all time favorites: bleeding hearts, forget-me-nots and lilly-of-the-valley which grace the more wooded, shaded side of our yard. When I see them peeking out under the cover of trees and bushes I am so happy!!!! And they don't last very long here in Colorado so you have to enjoy them quickly....which I do in small bouquets! Is it too early to start laying out outfits and workshop supplies? I may start so I don't end up in a panic and take too much stuff like last year, where I brought mostly the wrong stuff!!!! 19 days and counting Violets!

Wednesday, 9 June 2010

I was driving along today and saw these and just had to stop and take a photo!

I am learning to keep my camera with me all the time....

And, in the heat we have been having (June is definitely the hottest month in Santa Fe) my cats have decided that our bedroom is the coolest place to be during the day. Each time I walked in there today, they were both stretched out on the bed, enjoying the peace and "quiet cool"Above is Miss Marble Fat Cat, who sleeps at my feet at night....and below is Miss Pearlie-Whirl, who sleeps right next to Grayson's head all night long (!) Sometimes she steals his pillow away from him - such a spoiled little Princess!

Saturday, 5 June 2010

I am working on doing several of these in papier mache on boxes for my friend Penny at Los Poblanos. I think they will be pretty cute, when I actually have the shape in order.

Below are three goats in different stages - wire, minimal paper tape and more paper tape.The next step is the actual papier mache. I hope that I will get better at the shape as time goes on, since it does not seem to be quite right yet. Practice makes perfect.......

Thursday, 3 June 2010

I cannot seem to figure out how to turn this photo around so you will need to crank your neck and head sharply to the left to view this properly!!!!!!! This is my new seersucker dress to wear in Briancon embellished with a "floppy flower" hot of the press.....I just tied the last knot on it! I also cannot figure out how to post more than one photo at a time (could be a good thing for all of you!!!!!!!)......the second photo showed its entire length which has one more flowered leaf and at the bottom of the stem there is are about 3 inches of red polka dot fabric. This dress may become a uniform worn daily in Briancon which a change of undies and jewelry only! Won't be long now Violets!!!!!! Keeping you all close till we meet in So. France. LOVE- Oolie

About Us

"Pantry Violets" are women who met by chance in the Dordogne in France. We came from many different places and walks of life with as many different experiences - each of us knowing that for some reason we needed to be there. Through the course of 6 days, we swam in a salt water pool, ate magnificent food prepared by our hosts, strolled the beautiful grounds, stitched as it drizzled and danced in the sun, rummaged through brocantes, shared stories and ideas, secrets and dreams. We found friendship, inspiration, laughter, tears, simplicity, peace and a strong common bond. We embraced the creative spirit we found in one another and allowed our own to soar. It came to be much more than a workshop. We found new "life long" friends and true, kindred spirits.

We have created this blog to challenge and inspire one another and to continue to look at life and creativity in a whole new way, from a different perspective. We will continue to share our thoughts and feelings and bring our affection for each other to this venue.

Our enduring thanks to Julie Arkell for bringing us together for the little "slice of heaven" we experienced and for her enthusiasm in our creations. We are beyond grateful for her generosity and her willingness to share her knowledge, imagination and graceful spirit.

We also thank Katie, Mike, Carol and Dave for absolutely everything they did for us and for the beauty they live with each day that they so easily shared with us.